Los Angeles County officials executed an inspection warrant Friday at the Southern California home of actress Linda Blair, known for her role in The Exorcist, as part of an investigation into an alleged unpermitted kennel operation.
The search was conducted by the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control (DACC) and the Los Angeles County Department of Regional Planning, according to a joint statement. Authorities sought to verify compliance with county codes at a property reportedly associated with a kennel operation housing more than 100 dogs.
Blair, who has not been accused of any wrongdoing, addressed the inspection in a video posted to her Instagram account. She stated that the visit was a surprise and that no violations were found beyond administrative paperwork. “I just wanted to check in because today we got a really big surprise visit, and as it turns out, there is nothing but some paperwork and some new diagrams and things,” she said.
Officials confirmed the search was prompted by expired permits for the facility, which had not been renewed since 2023. Multiple attempts to contact the property owner had gone unanswered, leading to the warrant. “The warrant allows us to lawfully access the property and verify compliance with County codes,” the DACC stated.
Blair, a longtime animal rights activist, runs the Linda Blair WorldHeart Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to dog rehabilitation and adoption. She has previously spoken about the challenges of animal rescue in California, emphasizing the strain on resources amid rising shelter populations. In her video, she noted the extreme heat during the inspection and reiterated her commitment to the cause. “With as busy as we all are in animal rescue and saving lives from the hot deserts and abandoned animals and shelters, everyone’s emails and social media are overloaded,” she said.
The DACC declined to disclose the number of animals found on the property during the inspection. Blair also mentioned plans to relocate her rescue operation to expand its educational and adoption efforts.
The investigation follows broader concerns about unpermitted animal facilities in Los Angeles County, where enforcement actions have increased in recent years to address welfare and zoning violations. County officials did not specify whether additional actions would be taken pending the results of the inspection.